Take a look at Apple's September 9 'Awe dropping' event poster above. What does it suggest to you – total eclipse? The much-rumored vapor chamber cooling system set to make its debut on September 9 with the iPhone 17? Or, if you're in the UK, perhaps those British Gas TV ads from the late 90s?
Or does the graphic look a lot like thermal imaging to you? That's what I'm seeing. Could said image be a big hint that the predicted IR cameras in AirPods (aka basic thermal imaging) is coming soon – perhaps even to the AirPods Pro 3, which are also expected to make their debut at the event?
In my humble opinion, that would be the biggest and best advancement Apple has ever brought to fruition in AirPods. And I write that as TechRadar's Audio Editor and long-time specialist in testing the sound quality in portable listening gear. Why? Because while I love music, I'm also a woman.
Harsh truth: we just want to feel safe walking alone at night
For many people, the words 'thermal imaging camera' may call to mind those daytime TV true-crime shows from the late 90s. You know the ones – shaky aerial footage and a stern narrator announcing "After seven hours on the run, the thief was apprehended by police using helicopter infrared cameras – technology that allowed authorities to locate the criminal under a bush".
To me (and I daresay to every woman reading this), the mention of basic IR cameras in AirPods means just one thing: personal safety.
I hope I speak on behalf of every female-presenting human who has ever walked home at night holding her keys between her knuckles and pretended to be on a phone call ("I'm nearly home darling, I know you're waiting up – no, keep Bruiser and the other two bull mastiffs inside for now") when I state that we want cameras in our AirPods. We want them very badly, and we want them because it would make someone think twice about following us.
Yes, an IR camera might also perform similar functions to capacitive sensors for gesture control. Your all-seeing Apple earbuds may also feed data to your Apple Watch or perhaps ping information to your iPhone in future versions of Apple Intelligence – and I'd be prepared to accept targeted ads about the bar, store, gym or salon I just passed by in the name of safety.
And while nobody's expecting identikit photos from an IR camera squirrelled into our earbuds, just the fact that there is a camera there, "seeing" what you see as you turn your head, is a wonderful deterrent.
Okay, it's still too soon for IR cameras in AirPods – but I'll be here when it lands
As I mentioned in January of this year, camera-equipped AirPods have reportedly been in the pipeline at Apple for some time; this is not a new idea.
Even back in February 2024, noted Apple watcher Mark Gurman claimed that Apple was well into exploring AirPods with cameras. Slightly more recently (but still a year ago), analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also claimed future additions to the best AirPods could be Apple earbuds that include infrared cameras – possibly to be paired with (and let's face it, boost sales of) Apple's rather expensive Vision Pro headset. And when it comes to rumors and predictions, two noted tipsters saying the same thing is far more convincing than one.
We're all being warned not to get too excited, though. IR-enabled AirPods will take time to develop, and they aren't going to appear overnight. These same analysts expected mass production wouldn't start until 2026. And although news that Meta and Samsung were also looking into earbuds with cameras may have sped up experimentation at Apple Park, I still think it's too soon for AirPods Pro 3 to come bearing IR sensors.
That said, it's the hope that kills you, and for me, even the possibility of this feature being mentioned for future AirPods will have me glued to my seat on September 9. Fingers crossed for some word on it – and might I also be one of the first to say thank you, Apple.
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